Power take-off unit for tractors



Dec.'9, 1930. L. J. CAMPBELL @s swirl/lt Dec. 9, 1930A L. J. CAMPBELL POWER TAKE-OFF UNIT FOR 'i'nAcToRs Filed 00?,- 4, 1926 3 SheetSd-Sheel. 2

.QN AN NN wl S1 Dec. 9, 1930. L. J. CAMPBELL POWER TAKE-OFF UNIT FOR TRAOTORS -Filed O ct. 4, 1926 3 Smets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED As'rA'lEs PATENT `ori-"Fl LEON JAY CAMPBEIJ, BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TOTHE STUDEBAKER CORPORATION, OF SOUTHBEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or Naw JERSEY r VBowan TAXE-OFF UNIT Fon TaAcroRs Application. Vled October 4, `1926. Serial No. 139,250.

.'Thisinventionrelates to power take-offs for tractors', and more particularly for Fordleased while the unit is under load without first disengaging the clutch of the tractor,

' leasable.

due to the fact that the clutch mechanism of the unit when under load strains is not re- Consequently, considerable delay is caused in releasing the clutch, which delay might, be very serious in the case ofaccidents to the operator or to themachine driven by thevtractor. Moreover, in these units, the clutch mechanism'can not be operated independently of the main clutch of the tractor, thus requiring that they be worked together, due to the fact that they can notv be engaged or disengaged without a corresponding op- Y eration of the tractor clutch, thus making the device inconvenient to operate with many operations and many operators. Then again, in these units, the driving and driven shafts are supported only at the ends of the unit with the result that the meeting or adjacent n ends of these shafts are unsupported and` readily get out of alignment on the application of power or undue strains thereon. This 4places unnecessary .-wear and strains 0n the power take-oil? unit which overcomes the obvjections heretofore noted and also to provlde bearings and gears and causes the shafts to weave, thereby giving the belt operating on the belt pulley a wabbling or whipping action, with resultant loss of power and undue machinery driven thereby. i

The ob'ect vof myinvention is to provide a wear on the bearings of both the unit and the y a type ofl clutch for the unit which may be operated independently of the clutch of the f Vtractor whenever desired, thereby allowing` the unit to be readily releasedv from the power 'element of the tractorwithout being required to disengage the tractor clutch.

' This allows the unit to be disengaged from thel tractor the instant desired, thereby makvide such a support for the driving and driven shafts withinthe casing of the unit as to maintain suohshafts vin correct axial alignment at all times and thus prevent any undue strains on the bearings and gears, as well as keeping the belt in proper running position.

A further object of my invention is to have the speed controllinggovernor for the tractor `engine combined with and driven by the powertake-oii unit'so that these two fixtures may be combined in one for'convenience lof installation vand use, aswell as-making the power take-off attachment serve more than one purpose.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafterl described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through a power take-oli' unit constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the driving and driven shaft assembly with parts in section; a v

Fig. 3. is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through saidvshaft assemblyon line 3 3 of Fig. 1; v

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are transverse vertical sectional views taken on lines 4 4, 5 5, and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a vert-ical sectional view taken on line 7 7 ofFig. 1, and showing the shift lever and governor of the unit;

Fig. 8'is a plansection taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7; and v Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the tractor .housing having an opening through which the end within the tractor housing 1, there' is a beveled gear 4, which meshes with a beveled gear (not shown) of the tractor trans-- mission. The hub of the gear 4 is made in the form of a stub shaft 6, which extends into the adjacent end of the lcasing 2. An antifriction bearing 7 is mounted in the inner end of the casing 2 to support the lshaft 6, as shown. The inner end of the shaft 6 extends into .a sleeve 8 journaled in the casing 2, the

,shaft 6 being fixed to the sleeve by a key 9 and a pin 10, the latter holding the parts .against endwise displacement. (See Figs.

1 and v5.)

The casing 2 is provided with a bore to receive and support the sleeve 8. This bore extends along the length of the sleeve and pro- -vides a relatively wide bearing surface therefor. This surface in total is wide enough to properly support the sleeve vand maintain it in correct axial alignment with the gear 4 and the driven shaft, to be presently described, and also to provide sufiicient metal in the bea-ring to carry off all heat likely to be produced during the rotation of the sleeve. By making this bearing wide enough, there is no improper wearing of the teeth of the bevel gears thus prolonging the lifeof the unit and making a quiet running mechanism.

The bearing surfaces mentioned are marked 11, 12 in the drawings, and these are separated by an annular oil groove -13 made in the bore-and surrounding the sleeve. This groove communicates with an oil well 14 formed as a'longitudinal groove in the lower port-ion olf the bore along the under side of the sleev'e`8, .as shown in Fig. 1. The casing 2 has an'inlet opening 15 on its upper side for feeding lubricant from the tractor housing to the groove and well 13, 14, respectively. The sleeve 8 has oil holes 16 in register with the groove 13, so nthat oil may flow into the interior of the sleeve. The casing 2 has -an oil outletpassage 17 in its under side .so as to return oil from the interior of the casing 2 to' thesupply in the tractor housing 1.

A belt pulley 18 or'other power delivery I Q member is locatedat the outer endof the.cas

ing 2. This pulley is fixed to the `outer end of a driven shaft 19in any suitable manner so as to be rotatedthereby. The shaft 19 extends into the casing`2 through an antifriction bearing 20 mounted in the outer end of the' casing, as shown. The shaft 19 extends into the sleeve 8and terminates just short of the portion ofthe shaft' 6within/the sleeve, as .show-nin Fig. 1. A t such .point the .shaft 19Y sreduced, aas. at 2.1, .and ,is .supported Vin `groove or key seat, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and

3. The key 24 thus has a portiony within and outside the sleeve, respectively. The end of the sleeve 8 where the shaft 19 extends into it is provided with a plurality of internal projections 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The key 24 is provided with a locking lug 26 `adapted in the rocking of the key to be tu-rned `into and outof clutched engagement withthe projections 25. (See Fig. 4.)

Vhen .the key is rocked axially in one direction, the lug 26 is disengaged from the prejections 25 so as to disconnect the sleeve 8 from the shaft 19 and thus permit the gear 4 `to be rotated by the tractor 4engine without imparting power to the pulley 18. When the key is rocked in the opposite direction, the lug 26 is extended up into the space between two of the projections 25 and locks or clutches the sleeve 8 to the shaft 19 so that .power may be transmitted from the tractor engine to the `pulley 18. The key 24 is held against endwise movement by a pin 27 and a collar 28 at the opposite ends of the key. The pin 27 is driven into the sha-ft 19 at the front .of the key, while the collar 28 has a tight Vfit on the shaft at the rear end of the key, as shown in Figs. 1', 2, and 3. The pin 27 is located in the key groove 23 so as to be within j the bushing 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

1 To rock thekey, a shift collar 29is slidably mounted on the portion of the shaft`19 outside of the sleeve '8. The key 24'has .a'pair of cam projections 30, 31 arranged ,on opposite sides o-f its longitudinal :axis and on opposite sides of the collar 29 so that the collar on being slid endwise on the shaft will rock the key by riding over these projections. When the collar 29 slides over the .projection 30, the key is rocked to disconnect the sleeve 8 from the shaft 19 (see Fig. 3) whereas, when the c ollar is slid over the other proj ection 31, the key is rocked-to connect the sleeve 8 withthelshaft 19. (SeeFig. 1.)v

A- spring 32 is coiled about therear end of the key V24 and has. one end connected vwith the key and Ithe other end bearingy against the sha'ft 19.` 4This spring constantly Y tends to rock the key in a direction to turn its lug 26 into locking or. clutching position. The collar 29 has a width less than the distance .between 'the projections 3Q, 31, so that said collar may bev free of both projections when in a position between them, as shown in dotted lines in yFig. 2. Thus the spring 32 Vmay act to rock the key into clutched-engagement with-:the .sleeve .8.after .the collar frees llU the projection 30, but before it acts on. the projection 31. Shouldthe'spring'break or ail to properly rock the key, the operation will be positively effected on shifting the collar-29 over the projection 31. The outer contour of the keg adjacent each cam projection conforms to t e curvature ofthe bore of the collar so that the key is held from rocking while the collar is over either projection, as shown in Fig. y6. v

j To slide the shift collar 29 on the shaft 19, I provide a shift lever 33 extending up out of the top of the casing 2 through a 'suitable housing 34 thereon, as shown in 7. This lever isfulcrumed in the housing 34 by a horizontally disposed pin35. The lever carries a dust cap 36 fitting overV the upper end of the housing, as shown. The lower end of the lever 33 extends down into the casing to one side of the shift collar 29 and there carries a shoe 37 fitting in the annular groove in the outer periphery of the collar so that the latter may be slid back and forth by said lever. The shift collar 29 is keyed to the shaft 19 so as to rotate therewith and thus prevent burning the cam faces of the projections 30, 31. This connection comprises a pin 38 carried by the collar 29 and extending into an elongated slot 39 in the shaft 19, as shown in Fig. 3. A spring pressed check 41 (see Fig. 7) is carried by the housing 34 at one side of the lever 33, and is designed to bear against the lever on either side of a V-shaped projection 42 so as to hold the lever in eitherl of its shifted positions. Y

The sleeve 8 in being keyed or fixed vto the stub shaft 6 of the gear 4, constitutes in effect the driving shaft of the unit. By providing a relatively wide bearing (l1-12) for this shaft in the casing 2 and having the driven shaft 19 supported in the sleeve by a relatively wide bushing 22, the driving and driven shafts are supported in correct axial alignment at all times so'that there is no opportunity afforded for these shafts to run eccentric and cause undue Wear on the bearings or the teeth of the bevel gears, or throw the pulley 18 out of proper running position. The shift collar 29 is provided on its side toward the sleeve 8 with an annular projection 43 of a diameter to enter the sleeve when the collar is shifted into driving position, as shown in Fig. 1. This projection 43 fits within the sleeve where it extends into the same and serves to maintain the sleeve and driven shaft 19 in axial alignment. The sleeve 8 is recessed to accommodate the projection 43.

With the key type of clutch as shown and described, the driving and driven shafts 8 and 19 of the unit may be readily and easily disconnected without the necessity of first disengaging the clutch of the tractor, as heretofore, for the reason that the clutch key 24 is rolled down out of engagement with the sleeve 8 regardless of the load strains on the -shafts or their speed o f rotation. Thus, the

This is an important feature of my invention, because it provides a safety factor incase of accident either to the machine driven .by the tractor or to the operator attending the same, as the machine may be quickly disconnected from'the tractor by simply releasing the clutch of the unit. v

As shown in Fig. 1, the inner end of the sleeve 8 extends inward beyond the portion of the casing 2 in which the sleeve is journaled. Said sleeve. has spiral teeth 44 about its inner end, and a spiral pinion45 meshes therewith. This pinion is fixed on a shaft 46, which is journaled in the casing 2 at one side of the sleeve, as shown inv Fig. 7. This shaft extends to a speed governor mechanism 47, which is carried by thecasing' 2,. This mechanism includes a set of centrifugal weights 48, which operateV a crank 49 for automatically controlling` the supply of fuel mixture to the tractor engine in accordance -with the required speed thereof. `With the governor -mechanism geared to the driving sleeve 8 of the unit, said mechanism may be used Whether the pulley 18 is inlor out of service. Thus, the governor device may serve to control the fuel mixture of the tractor motor at all times. With the governor mechanism combined withthe power take-off unit,

Vas shown and-described, the governor may have a geared connection with the motor speeds and thus be `directly driven without chance of slippage, as when belts 'are used as heretofore. Moreover, this `combination reduoes the assembly to a single fixture, thus insuring alignment, proper lubrication, rigidity, and compactness of construction, as well .1

as economy in manufacture.

In order to lock the shift lever 33 from being accidentally moved into clutch engaging position, I mayuse with the lever a lar body 51 to slide on thelever 33, `and is located above the dust cap 36. The lever 33 carries a stop '52 projecting outward therefrom through an elongated slot 53 in the tubular body 51 to limit the sliding of the 'latch member 50. This member has a tubuthelatc'h holds the lever 33 from being accidentally moved into clutch engaging position. Then the latch is used it is necessar 3 to first depress the lever 54 to release the clutch of the tractor. This carries the lever 54 downward, the latch 51 following until stopped by the stop 52, whereupon the downward movement of the lever V54 is continued to `the full release position of the tractor clutch, said lever 54 at this time being completely out 'of the notch 55. The lever 33 may then be shifted outward fromvthe lever 54 to eect the engagement of the clutch of the unit. In so shifting the lever 33, the notch 55 is carried out of the 'path of the lever 54, whereupon the latter raises the latch on moving upward to engage the tractor clutch.

The latch now rests on the upper side of the Y `lever 54, and is in position to drop over the same yon moving the shift lever 33 back into its clutch release position for locking the shift lever to the tractor lever.

The stop 52 is preferably made in the form of a band clamped about the lever 33 so that the stop Imay be adjusted up or down said lever to properly position it thereon with respect to the extent of movement had by the tractor lever 54. Moreover, in being adjustable the stop may be changed to take up for wear in the tractor clutch or of the lever 54.

The details of construction shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination with a power driven tractor having a clutch and an operating lever therefor, of a power take-ofi' unit having an outer casing attached to the tractor, driving and driven shafts journaled in the casing, clutch means within the casing for said shafts, a shift lever for said clutch means and extending out of the casing across the tractor lever, and latch means associated with both levers for locking the same together-on moving the shift lever into its clutch-release position.

2. The combination with a power driven tractor having a clutch and a horizontally y disposed operating lever therefor, of a power take-off unit having an outer casing attached to the tractor, driving and driven shafts journaled in the casing, clutch means within the casing for said shafts, a shift lever for the clutch means and extending upwardV out of the casing across the tractor lever, and a latch member slidably carried by the shift lever above the tractor lever and having a hook shaped lower portion to rest on the tractor lever vand drop over the same on moving the shift lever into its clutch release position.

3. A power take-off unit having an outer casing adapted for attachment to a tractor,

said casing having a tubular portion at onev extending into the same,A said shaft being in axialalignment with said sleeve and Ahaving its inner end extending into and supported by said sleeve, a belt pulley fixed to said shaft, said tubular portion being in direct contact with and extending along the sleeve for the greater portion of its length to provide a relatively wide bearing surface therefor, and a shiftable clutch mechanism in the casing for connecting the shaft to land disconnecting it from said sleeve.

In testimony 4whereof I afx my signature this 30th day of September, 1926.

LEON JAY CAMPBELL. 

